Clothesline lock



Patented Feb. 5, 1924.

CIOTHESLINE LOOK.

Application filed Septemher 27,192o. Serial No. 413,156.

To'alZ whiom z't may conbem; A

Be it known that I, JOHN JOSEPH DU1T, a citizen of the United. States,residing at Toledo, in the County of Lucas and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain neW and useful Improvements in Clothesline Looks; and Ido declare the followin}: to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as vvill enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains 'to make and use the same, reterence being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon,Which form a part of this specificati0n. V

The difficulties enbountered by women in putting up clothes-lines and inSafely securing thein from the mishap of becoming uni:astened whenloaded with Wet abrios, are familiar domestic troubles. In thisoperation, as usually performed, the discomforts met and the tinie'consumed by the busy housewife, particularly in cold .vveather, aresome of the disagreeable features of the vvork. My invention is designedto largely obviate these difiiculties and to furnish a cheap, simple andeffective device whereby a clothes-line may be quickly, easily andinfallibly secured in stretched operative position, without the tying ofany sort of knot and in such fashion that the heavier the load placedupon the line, the more tightly will it be held against displacement.

T0 these ends, my invention consists 'of the construction andarrangement et parts hereinafter described, and illustrated in theaccompanying draWings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of mydevice; Fig. 2, a rear-eleVation of the same; Fig. 3, a central verticalsectional-elevation of the same, taken on line mm Fig. 1; and Fig. 4:, aperspective view of the same secured to a post and in operativeengagement with a rope or clotheslinc.

Throughout the drawings, like referencenumerals represent like parts.

In the drawings, 1 is a bifurcated metal plate, somewhat heart-shaped inoutline, and having at its lovver point an outwardly projecting lug 2.The central cleft 3, between the right and left wings of the plate,extends to about its middle. At opposite sides of the bottom of thecleft are opposed transverse depressions, 44, formed on the inner sideof the plate, resulting in two corresponding bulges 55 appearing on itsouter side.

6 is a bar or lever, somewhat longer than the Vertical dimension of theplate 1 and adapted at its upper part t0 fit lOosely in the cleftorslot3. Tlie bar bas, near its middle and intgral therewith, twooppositely projectingtravers lug's or trunnions 7, which fit loosely inthe dpressions 4, and Which, When the plate 1 is secured against a fiatsurface, form a fulcrum upon which the upper and lower ends ofthe bartilt in oppo-.

site directions. At' its top the bar curves outvvardl and backwardly,forming a slight segment of a 100p or a hook-like portion, as at 8. Nearits bottom the bar has a hOle or depression 9, into Whigh the lug 2 mayenter. This lug 2' and depiession 9 therefore provide coacting seatsretaining the lever 6 against twisting asto the plate 1. 'The plate 1has through each wing, jst above the fulcrum referred to, a screvvhole10, there being buttwo screws, 10?, necSsary to complete the device.

The operation of my deVice is aS follows: The plate l,having its luge 7resting in the clepressionsulf4, is secured to the fiat surface of apost or Wall by means of tvvo screws. The end of the line, or such partof the line as is to be secured, is slipped upward under the lovver endof the bar 6, and above the lug 2, which prevents the end of the linefrom dropping While the line is next looped With a single turn, as at11, over the hocklike upper part et the bar or lever 6. Now, a pull uponthe upper stretch of the line swmgs the upper part of the baroutvvardly, causing the lower part of the bar to swing inwardiy, thuscausing the line to be tightly clamped between the lower part of the barand the plate. Of course the stronger the pull upon the line the-tighter will be this grip. It Will be seen that the screws 10 are inalinement with the direction of the pull upon the line, and that suchpull tends to swing the lovver part of the plate inwardly tovvard thesupport. The upwardly extended clongated points 12 of the plate, abovethe screws, tend to prevent the movement of the lower end of the plateaway from its support Should undue pull be exerted upon the lower end ofthe lever. By this' arrangement, only two screws are necessary in myconstruction. Proper manipulation of the lower end of the lever Willpermit the line to be tightened, loosened or removed as may be desired.In the normal position of the line with the look, direct pulling servesto tighten the grip of the holding means or lever look, and this is truewhether the 100p or scat 8 be transverse or terminal.

Having described my invention, what I daim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a device of the described charactcr, a bifurcated plate having initsnneriace alined opposed recesscs, having also in each of itsseparatedportiong a screw-hol,- and, medially of its lower and, having aseat; and a lever disposedin parFbetween the.seP arated portions of theplate and having transverse lugs engaged in sid recesses and which forma fnlcrum for the lever, said lever being adapted atone end to engageand hold a line and at its other encl having inter-.engaging coactionwith said scat for holding a line for clamping bythe lever toward theplate between saicl fulcrnm and said seat.

2. A clothes line lock,embodying a mounting, plate having a pair ofparallel lobes providing' therebetween a -notch, said lobes adjacent theinner end of'the notoh liavihg opposing bearing seats, and toward thefree ends of said lobes from saidseats, each lobe having an openingtherethrough as the sole location for plate mounting means, the lobesprojecting beyond said pair of 0penings to position the openingsapproximatel midway between the bearingats and the lobe free endS,saidplate in its extent -avvayfrom the lobes havinga line receiving seatadjacent the-bearing seats, and therebeyond a projection, and a leverhaving trunnions for engaging the bearing seats of the plate, said leveras,.extending between the lobes providing a line engaging hook and asextending oppositely over the line scat on the plate serving to hold aline from either direction against said seat, said lever in its terminusremote from the hook having seat coaction with the plate projection.

3. A device of the described character, comprising a lever having ahook-shaped upperend, having,also, near its center tvvo laterallyprojecting lugs, and having a seat in its lower end, combined vvith aplate having avertical slot' in its upper part adapted for the receptionof the lever, having also two screw-holes at opposite sides of the slOt,having also in its inner face at oppositesides of the slot, opposedlateral depressions for the reception of said lugs, and a projectionformed on the lovver end of the plate arranged to enter the seat forholding aline in clamping position adjacent the lever mounting.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN J OSE-PH. DUKET. Witnesses:-

L. SKJDMORE, JENNIE SAMSEN.

